Aaron Michaeli

Partner

Head Commercial and Class Action Litigation Department

Adv. Michaeli is Head of the Commercial and Class Action Litigation Department of the firm, and a member of the Executive Committee.

Adv. Michaeli, one of the top litigators in Israel, specializes in corporate litigation, complex class actions, derivative actions, and insolvency proceedings, as well as in representing clients in local and international arbitration proceedings. In addition, he possesses unique expertise relating to commercial law, and applies a broad business outlook when advising on project finance proceedings and advising companies and corporations on mergers and acquisitions following a structural change in holdings.

In recent years, Adv. Michaeli was involved in a significant portion of the largest and most complex litigation proceedings in the Israeli market, which have resulted in the rulings of several precedents. He possesses many years of experience regarding the representation of leading companies in commercial disputes, struggles for corporate control, class actions and derivative actions related to securities, antitrust, administrative law and criminal law. In addition, Adv. Michaeli specializes in the representation of directors and company executives who have personal liability claims brought against them, in class actions and derivative actions.

Adv. Michaeli accumulated significant experience in advising special litigation committees as well, and was among the pioneers of the field in Israel with regard to establishing and advising special litigation committees as sub committees of the board of directors aimed at examining and enforcing a company’s right to sue.

Adv. Michaeli possesses expertise in representing clients in alternative dispute resolution proceedings, such as mediation and arbitration, and represents family businesses and high net worth individuals in complex and sensitive proceedings held in family court.

In addition, Adv. Michaeli has acquired unique expertise relating to tender committees, and regularly represents tender committees of statutory corporations and government companies with significant influence on the Israeli market. He often serves as external legal advisor to these corporations, and is a member of the permanent consulting committee to the Israel Government Companies Authority, for statutory reforms and accounting reports.

Among Adv. Michaeli’s clients are local and international holding groups and corporations from various business sectors, including banking, energy, pharmaceuticals, transportation, retail, communication and more.

Adv. Michaeli regularly lectures in conferences, seminars, panels and professional forums of the Israel Securities Authority, the Israel Bar Association, the Institute of Directors Training, and the CFO Forum of Israel’s largest corporations. Adv. Michaeli lectures on various topics related to his fields of expertise, including class actions, derivative actions, business judgment, director liability, special litigation committees, and more.

Adv. Michaeli serves as academic coordinator and lecturer for attorney professional training courses in various fields, including corporate law, class actions, director liability and more, as part of the Israel Bar Association’s Institute for Continuing Legal Studies. In addition, Adv. Michaeli regularly lectures at various academic programs, including the Business Administration School at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, the Law and Business Schools of the Ono Academic College, and various professional forums of the Israel Bar Association.

Education

LL.B. (Dean’s List), Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 1994

B.A. (Dean’s List), Accounting and Economics, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 1994

Bar Admission

Israel Bar Association, 1996

"A top litigator in Israel - bold, with deep strategic thinking."

Chambers & Partners | 2021

"A top litigator, extremely good at identifying the material points in every case, excellent appearance, bold, with very deep strategic thinking, extremely good at persuasion and in effective communication of his position."

The Legal 500 | 2020

"Creative thinking, strong legal analysis capabilities and excellent negotiations."

Chambers & Partners | 2020

"A very sophisticated corporate litigator with a great strategic mind."

Chambers & Partners | 2019

"Widely recognised for his class action specialism as well as his knowledge of commercial litigation and derivative actions."

Chambers & Partners | 2018

Representative Work

The Eilat Ashkelon Pipeline Company (EAPC)
1B ILS

Representing EAPC in a series of class actions regarding the oil spill in the Arava region. The total amount exceeds 1B ILS.

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd.

Elected to serve as legal counsel to a number of Teva Board of Directors Special Litigation Committees.

Shareholders and Board Members of IDB Group

Representing shareholders and board members of IDB Group in a series of derivative claims filed regarding the Group's dividend purchases and distributions.

Nestlé S.A.
400M ILS

Representing Nestle in a class action filed against it regarding a reverse triple merger transaction that resulted in Nestle becoming the sole shareholder in Osem.

UBS

Representing Swiss multinational investment bank UBS in legal proceedings in Israel relating to the "Libor Scandal" and the "Forex Scandal".

Mizrahi Tefahot Bank Ltd.

Serving as legal counsel to the Special Litigation Committee of Mizrahi Tefahot Bank.

Events